Author Interview: Tori Rigby

Blaze Publishing is happy to announce the release of the YA Contemporary Romance BECAUSE I LOVE YOU by Tori Rigby! You can get your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or you can order a signed copy from our website.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

What inspired you to write ‘Because I love you’?My original inspiration for BECAUSE I LOVE YOU came from my desire to write a story about a girl seeking her birth parents. As an adopted person myself, I really wanted to put those emotions into a book—I hadn’t read too many YA novels about adopted characters. But I needed more “meat” for the story, other than just searching for birth parents. So with the help of a critique partner who’d been pregnant before, I took that spin on it. I’m really happy with the way it turned out!

Did you always want to be a writer? How old were you when you decided to pursue it professionally?I wouldn’t say I always wanted to be a writer, but I’ve been an avid reader since I was four years old. It wasn’t until I was about 26 that I gave writing a try and fell in love with it.

What is your favorite scene from ‘Because I love you’?Hmmm… That’s a tough question! I think my favorite scene would be a pretty emotional one between Andie and Neil toward the end of the book. Wish I could say more, but I don’t want to give any spoilers away! I will say, though, that it was a really tough one for me to write, and I’m hoping readers’ hearts will explode. ☺

I’m sure this will hit home for a lot of teen moms out there, what is it you want them to walk away with after reading it?First and foremost that they’re not alone. Second, that whatever choice they made for their child, whether they chose to raise it or place it for adoption, was one out of pure love. That they’re stronger than they know, and that there is still life and happiness and hope after an unexpected pregnancy.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?Neil. Definitely Neil. He’s by far the swooniest character I’ve ever written. Though I might be biased. ☺

If you lost the ability to read and write for 24 hours, how would you spend that day?Probably either playing sports, hanging with friends, or watching Netflix.

What were the biggest challenges you faced when writing this book?The emotions. I actually re-wrote this book from beginning to end three times because I just couldn’t get the emotions to connect the way I wanted. I’m also used to writing high-concept genre fiction, so the switch to contemporary was a little daunting. Again, more emotion, less action scenes!

Are you currently working on anything else [or hoping to]?The story ideas are endless! Right now I’m beginning to flesh out another contemporary, then a thriller, a time-travel sci-fi, and a fantasy. Not sure which one has really captured my heart yet! But eventually they’ll all be written. ☺

How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?I would say I’m more willing to break the “mold” and take risks, but I also know now how to flesh out a story and sit down and actually write.

When and where did you begin your writing career?I began my writing career in January 2012 in Findlay, Ohio.

Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?I am a gun enthusiast and can do krav maga! ☺

And lastly, describe your book in one sentence.BECAUSE I LOVE YOU is the story of sixteen-year-old Andie, who learns she’s adopted when she gets pregnant herself, and who must use her personal experience of finding her birth parents to decide whether to keep her own baby.

Her friends treat her like she’s carrying the plague, her classmates torture and ridicule her, and the boy she thought loved her doesn’t even care. Afraid to experience the next seven months alone, she turns to her ex-boyfriend, Neil Donaghue, a dark-haired, blue-eyed player. With him, she finds comfort and the support she desperately needs to make the hardest decision of her life: whether or not to keep the baby.

Then a tragic accident leads Andie to discover Neil’s keeping a secret that could dramatically alter their lives, and she’s forced to make a choice. But after hearing her son’s heartbeat for the first time, she doesn’t know how she’ll ever be able to let go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adopted at three-days-old by a construction worker and a stay at home mom, Tori Rigby grew up with her nose in a book and her fingers on piano keys, always awaiting the day she’d take her own adventure. Now, she goes on multiple journeys through her contemporary and historical romances. She longs to live in the Scottish Highlands, and her favorite place in history is Medieval England—she’d even give up her Internet and running water to go back in time! Tori also writes high-concept genre fiction as Vicki Leigh, and when she isn’t writing, she’s kicking butt in krav maga or attending classes to learn how to catch bad guys.

Do you have a submission you’d like to send us? We’d love to see it! You can find our submissions guidelines on our website.

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